Guide to This Website Using Cell Phones to Improve Teaching Created by John Titterton
Introduction
This Wiki is designed to introduce teachers to the use of cell phones as an Audience Response System (ARS). Specifically, this Wiki will show how an ARS can improve student engagement, improve teacher understanding of student comprehension, and help the teacher create adaptable lesson plans.
Aim
This Wiki will show teachers how to set up an ARS using cell phones. It will show how to design lessons to maximize the use of an ARS, and it will show teachers some of the benefits and drawbacks of such a system.
Rationale
Currently teachers solicit feedback from students in verbal or written form. Written form is a good way to determine interest and competency of students, but it takes a great deal of time for the teacher to review and synthesize this information. Verbal feedback should be the primary means of determining comprehension, but a large number of students are not comfortable expressing lack of understanding, or they simply do not trust the instructor or their classmates. Using an ARS can solve most of these problems. Feedback is collected in real-time and is collected in one spot for the teacher. Students can reply anonymously and teachers can be sure that their students understand the material being taught. Additionally, since today’s students spend so much time in the digital world, using a cell phone, one of their favorite tools, should increase their engagement in the classroom.
General Goals
Introduce teachers to the possibilities of an ARS in their classrooms.
Poll teachers on their readiness to use an ARS before they start.
Demonstrate ways an ARS can be used.
Discuss possible benefits and drawbacks.
Provide a detailed how-to on setting up an ARS.
Provide a forum for feedback and recommendations for improvement of this Wiki.
Learner Description
The users of this Wiki will be pre-service or in-service high school teachers, or others who wish to generate student feedback during their lessons.
Prerequisites
Facility with internet and cellular access.
Classrooms with projection devices.
Students with majority access to cell phones with texting.
Teachers with a basic understanding of how to access and use websites.
Teachers with a desire to increase their technological know-how.
Subject Matter
· What an ARS is. · How to improve teaching through student feedback and engagement.
Learning Objectives
After viewing this Wiki, teachers will be able to:
Describe what an ARS is, and describe the benefits and drawbacks of an ARS.
Create an ARS for their classroom using student cell phones.
Use an ARS to improve their teaching.
Use an ARS to try to engage students in higher order thinking.
Modify and improve their ARS system to meet the specific needs of their subject and classroom.
Instructional Plan
This Wiki is designed for teachers to use on his or her own. The instructional plan for this Wiki is that:
Teachers determine if using cell phone polling is right for them.
Teachers use this account to create multiple polls of different natures.
Teachers test the use of these polls in their classrooms.
Teachers incorporate polls into their daily teaching.
Teachers provide feedback on the Wiki to make the Wiki better and to make the process of creating an ARS system better.
Instructors who can help teachers through this process should:
Present the contents of the Wiki and field questions.
Help teachers create accounts and polls to use in the teacher’s classroom.
Demonstrate the process in either their own classroom or in the teacher’s classroom.
Be a resource to follow-up on any questions during the process.
Materials
An internet capable computer
A classroom projector
Students with a majority of cell phones
Plan for Assessment and Evaluation
Learning that is accomplished through use of this Wiki will be evaluated in email feedback via an online survey on the last page. All feedback will be collected and placed in an Appendix, which will be updated periodically.
Cell phones - Handheld devices that may vary from simple talking and texting to the latest smart phones with multiple capabilities. As long as the phone has the ability to text, it will be considered a cell phone.
Audience Response System (ARS) – A system designed to generate immediate feedback from students. For the purposes of this Wiki, the system consists of cell phones with texting capability and a website to compile the answers. The system would also have to include the teacher’s computer as well as a projector for sharing the input with the students.
Instructor – An expert teacher who has already created and used an ARS in their own classroom and feel competent enough to guide another teacher through the process.
Teacher – The user of this Wiki who has not created an ARS in their classroom yet. The teacher can have very different levels of technical comfort.
Table of Contents
Guide to This Website
Using Cell Phones to Improve Teaching
Created by John Titterton
Introduction
This Wiki is designed to introduce teachers to the use of cell phones as an Audience Response System (ARS). Specifically, this Wiki will show how an ARS can improve student engagement, improve teacher understanding of student comprehension, and help the teacher create adaptable lesson plans.
Aim
This Wiki will show teachers how to set up an ARS using cell phones. It will show how to design lessons to maximize the use of an ARS, and it will show teachers some of the benefits and drawbacks of such a system.
Rationale
Currently teachers solicit feedback from students in verbal or written form. Written form is a good way to determine interest and competency of students, but it takes a great deal of time for the teacher to review and synthesize this information. Verbal feedback should be the primary means of determining comprehension, but a large number of students are not comfortable expressing lack of understanding, or they simply do not trust the instructor or their classmates. Using an ARS can solve most of these problems. Feedback is collected in real-time and is collected in one spot for the teacher. Students can reply anonymously and teachers can be sure that their students understand the material being taught. Additionally, since today’s students spend so much time in the digital world, using a cell phone, one of their favorite tools, should increase their engagement in the classroom.
General Goals
Learner Description
The users of this Wiki will be pre-service or in-service high school teachers, or others who wish to generate student feedback during their lessons.
Prerequisites
Subject Matter
· What an ARS is.
· How to improve teaching through student feedback and engagement.
Learning Objectives
After viewing this Wiki, teachers will be able to:
Instructional Plan
This Wiki is designed for teachers to use on his or her own. The instructional plan for this Wiki is that:
Instructors who can help teachers through this process should:
Materials
Plan for Assessment and Evaluation
Learning that is accomplished through use of this Wiki will be evaluated in email feedback via an online survey on the last page. All feedback will be collected and placed in an Appendix, which will be updated periodically.
Resources and Standards
See the Resources and Standards Page
Glossary
Cell phones - Handheld devices that may vary from simple talking and texting to the latest smart phones with multiple capabilities. As long as the phone has the ability to text, it will be considered a cell phone.
Audience Response System (ARS) – A system designed to generate immediate feedback from students. For the purposes of this Wiki, the system consists of cell phones with texting capability and a website to compile the answers. The system would also have to include the teacher’s computer as well as a projector for sharing the input with the students.
Instructor – An expert teacher who has already created and used an ARS in their own classroom and feel competent enough to guide another teacher through the process.
Teacher – The user of this Wiki who has not created an ARS in their classroom yet. The teacher can have very different levels of technical comfort.